“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took
and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet
when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a
tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
MATTHEW 13:31-32
For more than 75 years, Hillcrest Church has been a vibrant community on mission to love God, grow together, and care for the world in the name of Jesus. Through Hillcrest Kids Early Learning Center, Bellingham Chi Alpha, and our ongoing ministry as a local church, God has used our community to meet practical, tangible needs and invite people into life with Him.
In this upcoming season, we believe God is now inviting us to take a faithful next step.
The Broad Branches Initiative is our church-wide invitation to partner together to build a Community Resource Center, a space designed to serve our church, our neighbors, and future generations by expanding the missional capacity of each of our three divisions.
This isn’t merely about buildings for their own sake. It’s about creating a God-centered space where people can find shelter, rest, and hope and where people can be invited to know Jesus and His kingdom community.
— Tim Knipp, Lead Pastor
— James Junior, Executive Pastor
Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as a mustard seed, small and hidden at first, yet growing into a tree where birds come and find shelter in its branches (Matthew 13:31–32).
That image captures our hope for Hillcrest over the years to come.
We believe God is calling Hillcrest to be a reflection of His Kingdom tree within our community: rooted deeply, with a strong trunk, and extending broad branches of welcome and care. The Community Resource Center is one expression of that calling: a shared space where neighbors are served with dignity, children are formed in Christ-centered community, and college students are reached and discipled in the name of Jesus.
The Broad Branches Initiative invites us to partner with trust, believing that God will use what grows here to offer life and hope for generations to come.
The Community Resource Center is designed to expand the missional reach of each of our three divisions, Hillcrest Kids, Bellingham Chi Alpha, and Hillcrest Church.
It will be a place where our neighbors experiencing food insecurity are welcomed with dignity and care, where families find support and connection, and where practical help is offered in the name of Jesus. It will be a place where children are nurtured and formed through Christ-centered early learning at a time when quality childcare is increasingly difficult to find. And it will be a place that sustains and supports college ministry, providing a stable home base for missionaries who are investing deeply in the lives of students across our local campuses.
Though these ministries serve different people in different ways, they are united by a common calling: to be present, to build relationships, and to create space where faith can take root and grow.
The Community Resource Center allows us to bring these expressions of mission together, creating a space for people to find life in Christ and community at Hillcrest. This only builds on what Hillcrest had done for decades and decades and prepares Hillcrest to serve faithfully for generations to come.
The Broad Branches Initiative is a three-year comprehensive campaign that combines our ongoing regular giving with special contributions toward the planned Community Resource Center (CRC).
Together, we are seeking to raise $11.25 million over three years — $5.5 million for the CRC and $5.75 million to sustain Hillcrest’s ongoing ministry during that same period. This comprehensive approach allows us to sustain our current ministry while preparing for additional ministry impact through the Community Resource Center.
This initiative isn’t about a few people giving more. It’s about all of us giving faithfully together.
We Pray
This is first and foremost a spiritual endeavor. Pray for wisdom, unity, and for the many who will be served through this space.
We Give
Prayerfully consider what faithful generosity looks like for you or your household over the next three years.
We Serve
Begin imagining how God might invite you to serve through the ministries that will call this space home.
